A Las Vegas Democrat introduced a bill that would expand Medicaid coverage for vasectomies

The roughly 800,000 Nevadans who get their health insurance through Medicaid could soon see expanded coverage for contraceptive care, if one bill reaches the governor’s desk and is signed into law.

Assembly Bill 482 would expand Medicaid coverage to include several services. The federal health insurance program for low-income children and adults in the US would cover voluntary sterilization procedures for men, like vasectomies, and clinical services for contraceptive drugs and devices.

Assemblymember Selena Torres-Fossett (D-Las Vegas) introduced the bill in March. Approximately 25% of Nevada’s population is enrolled in Medicaid.

Medicaid already covers a 12-month supply of contraceptives, self-administered hormonal contraception, contraceptive injections, and counseling services. AB482 would add to that coverage.

AB482 would also expand Medicaid coverage to include language translation services during health care interactions. Almost one in three people in Nevada speak a language other than English at home, according to the US Census Bureau.

“Everyone deserves to understand the level of care they’re being provided,” Torres-Fossett, who is an elementary school teacher outside of the Legislature, said in a statement. “Unfortunately I have heard far too many stories of my students translating for their parents so that they can understand what’s going on at the doctor’s office.”

Both the Nevada Assembly and Senate have Democratic majorities, but Gov. Joe Lombardo is a Republican. Lombardo previously vetoed a contraception-related bill in 2023.

As of April 3, no votes have been held on AB482. The deadline for bills to pass out of the first chamber is April 22.

Nevada’s next gubernatorial election is in 2026.